Surviving the Game As a Barbarian [EN]: Chapter 393

The reason I insisted on fighting all four of them at once was simple. Even if I defeated all four of them in a 1-on-1 tournament, they wouldn’t be convinced. I judged that this was the only way to convince everyone. Throwing bait in front of them that they couldn’t resist swallowing. “Ah, I’ll say this in advance, if I lose, I’ll cleanly give up the position of captain.” An opportunity to remove one competitor from the stage. “But why is no one saying anything? Could it be that even if the four of you gang up on me, you’re not confident you can win?” With this provocation added, the other side finally started to react. “I’m in favor.” “What? Even so, for us to do that to one person—” “They’re saying they’ll fall out on their own, is there any reason to object?” “Senior Akuraba is right.” The dwarf lady’s words were joined by the vice-captain, creating a consensus. The knight nodded, albeit with a reluctant expression, and the paladin also silently expressed his agreement. They probably know it too. It might sound a bit ridiculous to others, but it’s an opportunity to easily get rid of one competitor. “You said your name was Richen Shuitz, right?” “So?” “You have to keep the promise you made a little while ago.” “Of course. If I lose, I’ll serve one of you as captain without complaint. But—” “You want to hear a confirmation in the opposite case, right? Fine. If, by any chance, you defeat all of us, you’ll get the position you want.” After that, I asked for confirmation from the other three besides Akuraba, and the verbal contract was quickly concluded. It wasn’t written down, but there was a more reliable guarantor than anything else, so I could put my worries aside. “Then that’s settled. Marquis, is there a suitable place?” “Of course.” The marquis readily offered us the training grounds of his mansion, as if he wasn’t worried about me at all. He probably doesn’t trust me 100% to do that. He just judged that he could benefit from it even if I failed due to my recklessness. For example, he could interfere with me at every turn, using this failure as an excuse. “Well, then, I’ll be waiting outside.” After arriving at the training grounds, I put on my equipment. 「The character has equipped an adamantite large battle shield.」 「The overall item level increases by +1,750.」 Starting with the shield I bought again with a large sum of money after returning from the past. 「The character has equipped a steel breastplate.」 「The overall item level increases by +150.」 「The character has equipped steel greaves.」 「The overall item level increases by +75.」 「The character has equipped war boots.」 「The overall item level increases by +45.」 Cheap equipment that I had no choice but to buy cheaply back then because I didn’t have money. Hah, now that I have money, I should change it all to adamantite. 「The character has equipped No. 87 Kraul’s Demon Smasher.」 「The overall item level increases by +4,800.」 When I came out to the training grounds fully equipped with my hammer, the four men and women who had finished their preparations soon appeared one by one. “Isn’t it strange? Now, this is more comfortable than cloth clothes.” “It means your body has adjusted. After all, you’re wearing this more often than everyday clothes.” Equipment that looked expensive at a glance. However, no matter how well they were maintained, the worn parts and the frayed marks on the joints were noticeable. I took a close look at their equipment. ‘Well, they’re all wearing accessories I haven’t seen before.’ Yeah, I figured they’d all brought their equipment in their subspace, even if they came in suits. Otherwise, they couldn’t be called explorers. “But, that side is… different from what I expected.” “He’s supposed to be the Blood Lord’s man, didn’t she buy him armor?” “Richen Shuitz, are you really going to fight wearing that equipment?” The four men and women made strange expressions as they looked at my ordinary steel equipment. Their eyes were more of a feeling of unfamiliarity than contempt. Well, they probably didn’t expect that I, who was recommended by the Marquis family, would be so substandard. “It’s not a problem.” What’s the big deal about steel armor? It’s not a very significant variable in this battle. Well, honestly, I felt a bit embarrassed by the attention, and it felt like my PTSD was about to relapse…… But, when I think about it, it’s not a big deal either. “Come at me.” Logically, the one with the smashed head is the more embarrassing one, right? *** It is said that a battle between masters is decided in a fleeting moment. Of course, I don’t agree with that. I might understand if it were a life-or-death duel between extreme damage dealers, but I’m a true tank, aren’t I? My true value is demonstrated in a long battle. But…… At least the beginning was not much different from the battle between masters that I had imagined. “…….” The conversation that had disappeared somewhere. The distance between each other. The eyelids that were closing at a reduced rate. A heavy tension settled as our gazes crossed. The muscles, trained through countless real battles, contracted to exert optimal force at any moment, and beads of sweat gradually formed on the hand holding the weapon. And…… Swoosh. The senses that reacted sensitively even to the smallest movement. That’s one of the reasons why multi-person battles are difficult. There are too many things to pay attention to. Yeah, so rather…… “How long are you going to keep doing that?” I asked the question, and in that instant when the opponent was about to answer. I used that one breath as an opening, kicked off the ground, and dashed forward. The first target was the knight who was standing most aggressively in front. “……!” The guy who was forced to swallow his breath narrowed his brow. It seemed that he was quite offended that he had become the first target…… Whoooosh-! The aura of a skilled knight, who had reached the peak of his craft, instantly wrapped around the blade and was swung at me. That aura that had sliced through countless heavy armor users like tofu in dungeons and cities. 「The character has cast [Iron Fortress].」 「The effect of [Evolved Skin] is increased by 1.5 times.」 I raised my shield to block it. Clang! The knight’s eyes widened in surprise as the sword bounced off instead of slicing through as usual. However, as a soldier trained in real combat, that time was extremely short. Whoosh-! Using the force of the bounce, he spun in the air and swung his sword again. This time, the target was the lower part, which was difficult to block with a shield. Specifically, the calf area where the skin was covered with steel greaves. ‘Did he think the problem was adamantite?’ It was very fast for a judgment made in the moment of exchanging one blow. The problem is, it’s not the right answer. Clang! Hey, just because it’s steel, are you looking down on it? Since the opponent had already exposed a lot of openings while making a big movement, I kicked him in the jaw. Thud-! The body floated in the air due to the recoil. A perfect angle to smash with a hammer— 「Jun Archen has cast [Light of Protection].」 Damn it. Clang-! The divine spell that was cast at the right time spread out semi-transparently above the knight’s head, blocking my hammer blow. And in that gap, the knight retreated. “How……?” Even in a situation where he had a narrow escape, he seemed more engrossed in one question. Anyway, why are all knights so similar? ‘……Is it surprising to block aura with steel armor?’ Anyway, there’s a reason why it’s said that it’s more important to become a masterpiece yourself than to wear a masterpiece. “No matter how you look at it, the equipment itself is ordinary.” “Then that strange phenomenon must be in the person.” That’s right. Not only is physical resistance added to the equipment as a plus alpha by [Unification], but [Evolved Skin] and [Iron Hide] are also applied. Well, while the adamantite shield didn’t have a single scratch, the steel armor had deep scratches. “I don’t know what kind of essences he ate, but to block aura, it seems he wasn’t just being stubborn.” Akuraba and the vice-captain, who were relatively far from the battlefield, quickly exchanged opinions while looking at me. “I have a few guesses. I don’t know why it’s applied to weapons, but, Kala, would you try attacking with an arrow?” At Akuraba’s instruction, the vice-captain, who was wearing matching dragon leather armor, drew his bow. Could it be that they’ve already figured out my sword resistance? 「James Kala has cast [Piercing Light].」 As soon as the light gathered on the arrowhead, I put my body inside the shield to defend. Well, if you see it with your eyes and block it, it’s already too late. Whoosh-! The light arrow was shot with a short flash of sound. There was no damage because I blocked it well with my shield in time. But…… “The arrowhead is stuck.” The arrowhead that had deeply penetrated the adamantite shield, which had not even been scratched by aura. Akuraba shouted and shared the information. “Swords don’t work on that man.” Hah, at this rate, my secrets will be revealed— Clang-! The paladin, who had been constantly rushing forward and closing the distance since pushing the knight away earlier, blocked my path. His main weapons were a huge shield and a mace. Yeah, that combination is the foundation for a tank. Clang-! The paladin tried to stop me by creating a wall with his shield rather than using his weapon. Screech. However, since his basic strength wasn’t high, his feet dragged on the ground and he was pushed back as soon as he collided. Well, unfortunately, he didn’t go far. 「Jun Archen has cast [Divine Unleash].」 「Jun Archen has cast [Surging Power].」 「Jun Archen has cast [Blessing of the Sun].」 As expected of a paladin, the epitome of a buff and self-healing tank, he used various divine spells in succession, and a pure white light burst from his body. And…… “That’s a tremendous power.” He had already stopped and was praising me without being pushed back at all. Ugh, it’s insulting to my pride. Well, I guess it’s okay since I’ve reached the desired distance? 「The character has cast [Transcendence].」 「The character has cast [Eye of the Storm].」 My unique grab skill that maximizes efficiency in PVP [Player versus Player]. The maximum distance is 20m, but the reason I approached this close was simple. The shorter the distance, the harder it is to react, right? Whoooooosh-! A fierce gust of wind arose in the calm air. “Ugh……!” The target I designated was the vice-captain in the rear. Well, it’s standard to take out the rear first in a multi-person battle, and…… ‘I want to tear that armor to shreds.’ Drake leather has considerable magic resistance, but it is vulnerable to physical force. In other words, it means that you’re in a near-death state with just one hit. 「The character has cast [Giantification].」 「The character’s physique increases, and the threat level and physical stats increase in proportion to the size.」 I used the skills I had been saving, and pushed the paladin away with my increased strength. And…… Tap. I jumped towards the archer flying in the wind. With the increased reach from [Giantification], I swung my hammer down before the archer could even react. 「Jun Archen has cast [Light of Protection].」 Well, the paladin who missed me used the divine spell that saved the knight earlier again, but…… 「The character has used a transformation-type ability.」 「Due to the [Primordial Cell] effect, the spirit power consumption of the skill is reduced by half, and the highest stat is increased by 1.5 times.」 The result was bound to be different from before. Well, it was just a normal attack before, right? 「The character has cast [Swing].」 「The destructive power of blunt weapons is greatly increased in proportion to strength.」 My only attack skill, [Swing]. Crack-! As soon as the hammer touched, the barrier shattered like a glass window. Thud-! The vice-captain collapsed on the floor, spurting a fountain of blood from his shattered forehead. One knight, one tank. And a mishap that even the 9th floor explorer Akuraba couldn’t prevent. “…….” In the uncomfortable silence, I quietly counted the numbers. “One down for now.” There are three left. *** Four high-ranking explorers. Well, should I exclude one of them since he’s a knight? ‘Now the real thing starts.’ I easily eliminated one person against four skilled people, but I didn’t let my guard down, and instead, I braced myself. Because I know this is purely an early advantage. I heard a lot about them from the marquis, but they knew very little about me. “…….” In that sense, the situation is a bit awkward. The vice-captain, who was not dead but seriously injured and unconscious. The guy who preached that ‘information’ was the most important at the banquet earlier was the first to be eliminated due to a lack of information. ‘Actually, it’s a bit much to say he’s completely out.’ In the [Dungeon & Stone] world, it’s possible to revive as long as you don’t die. 「Jun Archen has cast [Touch of Rebirth].」 The pure white light emanating from the paladin’s body flowed into the unconscious vice-captain’s body. Since the shield barbarian has no cancel skills, it’s already a given that he will recover and regain consciousness someday. But…… ‘Short battles are a no-go.’ I quickly abandoned the idea of ending this match before he recovered by pouring everything out. In the first place, I didn’t even expect such an overwhelming victory. That’s because, no matter how well you match the combination, is it even possible to crush four top-tier explorers alone? Everything requires a price. That is the only truth in this cruel world. That’s why…… “Uwaaaaaaaaah—!!!” I swung my hammer and ran forward. Clang. The paladin blocked me. Whoooosh-! At that moment, someone flew up from behind and swung their weapon. It was the knight who had fallen weakly earlier. He was holding a blunt weapon instead of a sword, I don’t know when he swapped weapons. It’s a bit funny that a knight is using a normal weapon instead of aura, but…… This must also be a characteristic of top-tier skilled people. To respond appropriately to the situation. Clang-! The blunt weapon that was struck down pierced my shoulder. The physical impact itself wasn’t that severe. However, the moment I was hit, a heat rose from my bones. The reason was obvious. ‘What kind of swap weapon is he carrying around?’ No. 761 Roam’s Furnace Hammer. It was a triple-number item. The effect was to add fire penetration damage in proportion to physical force. Still, thanks to my fire resistance, I could still endure it. “Uwaaaaaaaaah-!” I shouted and activated [Wild Outburst]. Using the temporarily increased physical stats, I kicked the paladin away once more— ‘What, why isn’t he being pushed back?’ My brain, which had been pickled by dedicating 20 years to [Dungeon & Stone], found the answer at the same time as the question. 「Jun Archen has cast [Divine Descent].」 Yeah, he already activated that too. ‘It’s not easy after all.’ It seems that these guys have completely abandoned their carelessness after one of them was defeated. From now on, it will be difficult to see a strength advantage against the paladin for a while…… 「Titana Akuraba has used [No. 1911 Paveler’s Broken Pocket Watch].」 The dwarf lady, who had been watching the situation, also joined the battle in earnest. For reference, this lady is an offensive magic caster. It’s a position that’s as efficient as a warrior for the dwarves, who use number items as a must. 「The cooldown is removed for 5 minutes.」 For example, that watch is an item that normally ends with a 70% reduction if you’re not a dwarf. They said she was on the 9th floor, so I guess she has all the core items besides this one. So, what was this lady’s main skill again? 「Titana Akuraba has cast [Blood Sucking Spike].」 Ah, that’s right, it was this. It’s a 2nd-grade skill that has low MP [Mana Point] consumption, decent damage, and the characteristic of MP absorption, but is rated low because it has a cooldown. Whoosh-! A huge spike flew towards me. Normally, it would be best to dodge, but the paladin and the knight were blocking my sides. Clang-! So I just blocked it with my shield. Even though she was a magic caster, this kind of skill is just judged as physical damage. My arm is a bit stiff, but I can handle it. The problem is, my side was open because I was blocking this. As soon as an opening appeared, the paladin and the knight struck me with their blunt weapons. Clang-! One of them made my whole body feel like it was burning as soon as I was hit. Clang—! The other one pierced through my physical resistance and dealt damage to my bones. Well, if it’s [Divine Descent], his strength is probably twice as high as mine now. ‘Okay, let’s just give up on defense.’ I quickly finished my judgment. If it’s a situation where I get hit twice even if I block one, then it’s better to hit once even if I get hit three times. Besides, thanks to the 7th stage engraving, my natural regeneration is pretty good now. Clang-! I only blocked the big attacks with my shield and swung my hammer. In response, the remaining three also opened up skills they hadn’t used and pushed me. And in the meantime. “If you’re awake, grab your bow quickly!” The vice-captain also received healing and returned to the battle. Clang-! The shield was still okay, but the steel armor, which had low basic durability, was damaged in various places. Whoosh-! Thud! Arrows pierced through those parts, and my injuries gradually increased. Whoosh-! I’ve been hit by the furnace hammer so much that what was bearable at first now feels like it’s going to burn me to death. Clang-! The paladin’s mace strikes feel like my bones are being shattered every time I get hit. Ah, maybe they were actually shattered and regenerating in real time? Well, it must have been. But…… “You’re laughing?” I laughed more and more. Because I expected it to be this hard. Ptoo-! I spat out the blood that had pooled in my mouth like a fountain because I bit my tongue after being hit by the hammer earlier. It’s a shame that acidic blood doesn’t come out anymore. But, it still blocks the view, right? “…You monster.” “I have to admit, you are definitely stronger than me.” After fighting like that for a while, the knight said something. “But, no matter how strong you are, it’s impossible to fight four people at once. Give up now.” What is he saying? I can see that they’re also panting and exhausted. But I still have a lot of MP left, you know? 「The character has cast [Soul Dive].」 「Spirit power is regenerated in proportion to the spirit power consumed.」 My MP, which had been almost depleted, was quickly replenished. The battle continued in that state, and how much more time had passed since then? “Why… won’t you fall?” The knight, who had confidently suggested that I give up, uttered that question. “You… it’s like you drank from the source of the spring in the Bible.” As if responding to that, the paladin also muttered something. “Stop now. Don’t you know you can’t win?” The dwarf lady said, as if she was tired of my stubbornness. “Let’s pretend the promise never happened, how about stopping at this point?” The archer seemed to want this grueling battle to end quickly. But…… “Everyone… suddenly, you’re talking, too much.” The more they tried to persuade me, the more I focused on only one thing. “Are you getting anxious that you might lose?” What I can do. What I have to do now. And…… “Please, just fall already!” What I’ve been best at so far. 「Titana Akuraba has cast [Blood Sucking Spike].」 「James Kala has cast [Piercing Light].」 「Jun Archen has cast [Touch of Rebirth].」 After enduring, enduring, and enduring again, the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived. 「The skill is canceled due to insufficient spirit power.」 「The skill is canceled due to insufficient spirit power.」 「The skill is canceled due to insufficient divine power.」 In the end, the one who stands last is the stronger one.